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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22366558">Devoted Puppet</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DxTURA/pseuds/DxTURA'>DxTURA</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Touhou Project</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Ten Desires</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 11:27:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,198</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22366558</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DxTURA/pseuds/DxTURA</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>[Yoshika Miyako]’s thinking patterns are like a forgotten age of computers.</p>
<p>An experimental piece, as I haven't written anything Touhou related since 2011.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kaku Seiga/Miyako Yoshika</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Devoted Puppet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Loyal. Constant. Unfailing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Three things that Yoshika Miyako was that Seiga never knew she needed until recently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yoshika was an amazing servant – at least, better than all the dead she had resurrected before. Each of the reanimated corpses died so quickly. Carelessly, too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Every danmaku fight she put them in had them all killed on site. Every attack fired, they failed to defend or took head-on. If they didn’t evaporate, they simply bled out and made a mess. It simply wasn’t enough for her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This jiangshi, though, was a new and refreshing case. She was devoid of most of her personality and past, but she could take hits.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She could be the shield that Seiga needed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Seiga sat near some isolated tombstones with her legs crossed and Yoshika’s head in her lap, sound asleep. The mists were their blankets and no one was around to disturb them. Peace and quiet – uncommon in this part of the mausoleum, truth be told.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though, she didn’t mind. She ran her fingers through the jiangshi’s dark blue locks; Yoshika had finished another morning of guard duty, but seemed particularly tired today. No injuries or pain, just exhaustion. Curious, but Seiga didn’t care much for the specifics.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instead, she bent over and pressed (cold, but gentle) lips to the other’s forehead. Her free hand moved to cup her cheek and thumb where the heat rested before she shifted and reached for her iron pipe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She took a long swig of the tobacco, released it, and leaned back against one of the stones.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Such a daring and darling servant you are.” Seiga hummed, “You devote yourself to me, and I don’t even need to threaten you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No response, not that she needed one. She preferred talking to herself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So many others were eager to be my puppets. My tools. Yet, they all failed to live longer than a day. Worthless.” She took another huff. “Yet </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>... You have been through so much with nary a complaint.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whenever Seiga ushered commands or sent others to fight in her stead, she did so without any reservation. Unreciprocated love.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of </span>
  <em>
    <span>course </span>
  </em>
  <span>there wasn’t any love, though. Seiga didn’t love anyone. She only seeked self-profit. To spread Taoism, right? To resurrect and sustain the life of Toyosatomimi no Miko (or Miko, for short) for the sake </span>
  <em>
    <span>of </span>
  </em>
  <span>Taoism, right?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And yet, when she tried to apply the same reasoning and principle to Yoshika, she felt like everything she held true were lies. She treated everyone with this same steely persona, but let it melt away whenever the dumb girl was around.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her thoughts meddled in her mind again. However, just as she was about to plop her pipe back into her mouth, a smaller hand covered her own.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She blinked and found her eyes locked onto the ghost girl in question.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is everything alright, master?” Yoshika’s voice was soft. Looks like she had just woken up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It caught Seiga off-guard, but she quickly remedied such by plastering the same fake smirk she wore with anyone tied to her plans. She nodded, paused, then shook her head. She let go of Yoshika’s face and rubbed her right temple.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Yoshika, I want you to answer an inquiry of mine.” She hummed. “Honestly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh? Okay!” Yoshika yawned and sat upright. She did a little stretch, a weird meow-like sound, and turned her entire attention to Seiga once more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Seiga put her pipe in her mouth, but didn’t smoke just yet. “Do you like it here? In the mausoleum, I mean.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Any other person would have answered right off the bat, but Yoshika didn’t. Yoshika knew more than anyone else that Seiga wasn’t finished.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The ghosts, the dead… they all wish to come back, and when they do they immediately complain.” She inhaled more tobacco, “They all say they’re willing to do anything for immortality, but at what cost? I place one deal on them and everything shatters.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The smoke danced around before it disappeared. “You are the only one who remains, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>just because of my magic. Why is that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yoshika swayed from side to side while Seiga placed her chin on the back of her own hand. The jiangshi was always slow to respond, so this wasn’t anything new for her. She considered it her “thinking pose”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then, Yoshika finally spat something out. “Cause you make me live again!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Seiga blinked. Slow blinking. That answer caught her off guard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“E-excuse me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If I had to say why, I couldn’t tell you other than that. I don’t know.” Yoshika shrugged, “All I know is that I adore you and this place, at least I think? I need to protect something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She needs to protect something, huh? Well, Yoshika </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>always wishy-washy even when she didn’t sound it. Seiga had to admit, it </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>awfully bold of her to say something like that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Awfully bold or awfully kissass. In the midst of battle – of duty – Seiga would constantly reanimate her even when she was down for the count. She didn’t care about her well-being. She didn’t even care about how she looked at the end of it. She revived Yoshika with an entire </span>
  <em>
    <span>arm </span>
  </em>
  <span>missing, and yet the girl would still wish to fight and attack others. She would never shirk her work.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still, Seiga was deceptive, not a hypnotist. Everything she told Yoshika was either a half-truth or a white lie. She wouldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>dare </span>
  </em>
  <span>possess her unless it was absolutely necessary. If she frequently did so, she’d understand why Yoshika would continue with unwavering devotion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But this response was unprecedented. Uncalled for. It made her heart sear with something fierce.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Seiga put a hand over her heart. Her cheeks reddened. “I see. Thank you for answering truthfully.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re welcome, master!” Yoshika grinned, hopping back onto her feet. “Do you need me to take care of anything today?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not in particular, no. You’re free to do return to your normal routine.” She set her pipe down and stood up as well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay. Are you heading back?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mm, for the day. I need to prepare lessons for the humans in Gensokyo. Taoism isn’t going to spread itself, after all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Seiga didn’t even wait for the typical goodbye Yoshika gave her. She placed her hand on the nearest wall and phased right through it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She did this again and again – up until she got to the long hall that led her to her corridor. It was dead silent – no pun intended. It was just what she wanted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She could sort her thoughts out this way. Or, well, </span>
  <em>
    <span>try</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That searing heat still hung in her chest – and only continued to burn. She got the answer she wanted, but at the same time it </span>
  <em>
    <span>bothered her</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Like, she couldn’t accept it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No, that wasn’t it. She </span>
  <em>
    <span>could </span>
  </em>
  <span>accept it, but it left a lump in her throat and a weight in her stomach. She was flustered. Her face was hot. She had never felt anything like this before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She took a deep breath and stomped forward. She’d figure out why Yoshika’s words made her feel this way later.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For now, she was sure some tea and books would do her some good.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>henlo, touhou fandom. I come bearing a fic of Yoshika and Seiga because I love these two SO MUCH.<br/>I've actually been very afraid of writing ANYTHING wlw - even a smidge - so this kind of served as a way to break myself back into writing such.<br/>Thank you so much for reading!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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